Pin ball game



Sept. 9, 1952 J. c. KOCI 2,610,059

PIN BALL GAME Filed Aug. 27, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. Jerry C. Kocz' GPMLW J. C. KOCI FIN BALL GAME Sept. 9, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1947 I: mm n TK m H n V C m m f .m w 3 r r S 6 .9 W J I. U y F mm 6 AW m. w. n R m l S .1, H. ,R LI m 2 2 v z J .3.. Z.. r 1;. a p m L .w... I a a x 4 v I v u n F n m w m SOURCE Patented Sept. 9, 1952 Jerry C. Koci, Riverside,

Coin Machine 00., Ohio Illinois 111., assignor to Chicago ago, 111., a corporation of Application August 2'7, 1947, Serial No. 770,808

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a game apparatus and'particularly relatesto that type of game apparatus wherein balls are used for playing purposes. Such game apparatus utilizes balls of suitable size, usually having a diameter of about three-fourths of an inch. Such balls may be projected manually or by spring means under the control of a player and cooperate with various pockets, apertures, bumpers and the like for scoring purposes. F

In games of the prior art, the nature of the material'of which the balls were made has made no difference in scoring, and the entire score resulted from the path taken by the ball. To provide added zest to a game, it is advantageous to have one or more balls score differently than the remainder of the balls apart from the factor of path of travel. This invention provides a gamewherein some of the balls are of magnetic material and cooperate with magnetically responsive switches for altering normal scoring action. Thus, in a game embodying the present invention, it is possible for a plurality of balls to be used, some of them of steel or iron and magnetic, and some of them of brass or plastic material and non-magnetic, and provide two different scoring effects even though the paths taken by the balls be the same. The invention, in general, contemplates the use of ferromagnetic or magnetized balls and the use of switches having magnetic or elecromagnetic armatures cooperating with ferromagnetic balls to close a switch. p

In order that the invention may be fully un derstood, reference will now be made to the drawing wherein Figure 1 shows a perspective View of a game apparatus embodying the present invention. Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure ,1 and includesa diagrammatic showing of a scoring system. Figure 3 is a sectional View on line 3--3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a plan view on line 4-4 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a plan detail of the game apparatus showing a ball in starting position.

The game may comprise cabinet Ill having rear wall ll containing scoring panel l2. Scoring panel i2 may have any desired scoring system consisting of lights or other means for indicating a score attained during a game.

"Cabinet Iii has playing surface or panel l5 upon which a game may be played. Cabinet I0 has front portion l6 provided with plunger ll biased b spring l8 to a normal in position. Plunger I! has head l9 adapted to oooperate with ball 20 for striking the ball and starting it along runway 22 Individual balls for the plunger may be supplied from pocket 23 in a manner well known in the art.

Panel 15 may have any desired scoring position means for cooperating with individual balls for scoring action. Thus, as shown here, panel [5 has provided a plurality of bumper-operated scoring means 26 which are adapted to provide a suitable scoring action when struck by a ball. Such bumper scoring means are well known in the art, one for example being disclosed and claimed in my Patent 2,294,603. I

Panel I 5 is also provided with one or. more pockets 28 into-whichaball may drop temporarily for scoring purposes. While such pockets maybe made in a numberof ways, an exemplary construction is shown wherein panel lfihas the material, usually wood, shaped to form circular aperture 30 having counter-sunk sides 3!. Disposed within aperture 3B is contact finger-32 carrying movable contact 33 cooperating with fixed contact 34. When a ball is resting in a scoring pocket, the weight of the ball presses finger 32 down to close a scoring circuit. Finger 32 is operated by any 'ball irrespective of whether or not the ball is magnetic,

In accordance with this invention, any one or more of the scoring pockets may be additionally provided with a scoring switch selectively responsive to the magnetic condition of the ball. Thus, panel I 5 may carry on bottom face 36 thereof bracket 31 on which is pivotally mounted arm 38 carrying magnet 39. Magnet 39 comprises a small block of magnetic material, as Alnico V and may thus be quite small and light, though powerful. 1

Arm 38 carries finger 4D with movable contact 4| at the free end thereof. Under normal conditions, the weight of magnet 39 biases finger 40 in one position so that movablecontact 4| may rest against fixed contact 42. In the attracted position of the magnet, movable contact 4| cooperates with fixed contact 43.

It will be evident that means must be provided for ejecting a ballout of a pocket. This means may assume a variety of forms and, as shown here, comprises finger 45 forming partof bell crank 46 connected for actuation to lever 41 and armature 48; Irrespective of the nature of a, scoring ball, one scoring means, as indicated by finger 32 and associated means, is'operated by every ball. In addition, ball ejecting means are also operative irrespective ofthe nature of the ball. In accordance with the inventact 34.

tion points 52, 53,. and 54. Winding 58 hasits other terminal connected to line 55 going to junction points 56, 57 and 58; Junction point 52 is connected to movable contact 68 having tip SI for cooperation with cam 62 provided with finger 63. Contact 68 cooperates with fixed contact 65 connected by wire 66 to one terminal of solenoid 61 forming part of the ball-ejecting means. Solenoid 61 is adapted to cooperate with armature 48 for providing a ball-ejecting action.

Junction 53 is connected to movable contact 69 for actuation by cam 18 having drop H along part of the periphery. Movable contact 69 cooperates with fixed contact 12, this bein connected by lead 13 to junction 14. Junction 14 is connected to winding I5 of motor 16, theother terminal of the winding being connected by lead 11 to junction 51. Junction 54 is connected to movable contact 18 cooperating with fixed contact I9. Movable contact 18 cooperates with cam 88 having a plurality of teeth 8I thereon. Fixed contact 19 is connected by lead 82 to fixed contact 83 of a relay having winding 84. Cooperating with fixed contact 83 is movable contact 85 connected by lead 86 to movable contact M of the magnetically responsive switch.

Relay winding 84 has movable contact 81 connected to junction 88, which junction is connected .respectively to junction 52 and fixed contact 34.

Cooperating with movable contact 81 is fixed contact 90 connected by lead 9I tojunction 14. Relay winding 84 has terminal 92 connected by lead 93 to movable contact 33. Junction'56-of the relay is connected by lead 924 to junctions 95 and 96. Between junction 95 and contact 43 is connected relay winding 91, this relay having contacts 98 and 99 going to suitable scoring means. Between junction 96 and contact 42 is connected winding I of a relay, this relay having contacts IM and I02. Contacts I8I and I82 go to the scoring system and are adapted to indicatesuitable scoring values.

Cams 62, I8 and 88 are all carried on one shaft for actuation by motor 16. Under normal conditions, the position of the cams is substantially as shown with the cam contacts being open. Assume now that a ball is in the pocket. Irrespective of whether or not the ball is magnetic, finger 32 is depressed to close contact 33 against con- A circuit from winding 58 along lead I to junction .52, thence to junction88 through switch contacts 34 and 33, along line 93 through relay winding 84 to junction 56 is established. Relay 84 is energized and contact 81 and 85 are pulled down against their cooperating fixed contacts 98 and 83 respectively. The closure of contact 81 against 90 establishes a circuit as follows-junction 51 along lead TI through motor winding thence to junction 14, along lead 9| through contacts 98 and 81 to junction 68 down to junction 52. Thus, the motorcircuit is established, and cams 62, I8 and 88 begin to turn. These cams are turned so that their movement is clockwise as seen in the drawing. It is'underthence to junction 56.

stood that motor 16 is geared down for turning the cams.

When contacts 85 and 83 are closed, the following circuit is established-contact 19, lead 82 through contacts 83 and 85, lead 86 and movable contact 4|. It is evident that movable contact 4| will bear against either fixed contact 42 or 43, depending upon whether the ball is magnetic o1 non-magnetic. In either event, a circuit from movable contact 4| may be established alternatively through contact 42 or 43 as the case may beand through relay I or 91 to lead 94 and As cam 88 is turned, alternate opening and closing of switch contact I8 against contact 19 will thus complete the circuit across transformer 58 since contact I9 will thus be alternately connected to and disconnected from lead 5|. When contacts I8 and 19 are closed, one of relays I88 and 91 will be actuated to close its corresponding relay contacts for scoring action.

The movement of motor I6 turning cam I0 results in contact 69 closing against contact 12.

When this occurs, the following circuit is establishedjunction 53 to contact 69 thence to contact 12, lead 13 to junction I4, motor winding 15, lead 11 to junction 51. Cams 62, I8 and 80 are geared down so that, during one cycle of operation, these cams are turned through 360 degrees by motor 16. It is thus clear that, once the motor has started, rotation of cam 10 will keep the motor energized until the cam has made a complete turn at which time movable contact 69 will fall in cam drop I I. Rotation of cam 80 will alternatively open and close contacts I8 and I9. When cam 62 has made almost a complete turn,

finger 63 momentarily closes contact 68 against fixed contact 65. This closes a circuit from junction 52 through the switch contacts andlead 66 through winding 6'! to junction 58 and thence to junction 51. Thus, at the instant that contacts '68 and 65 are closed, the ball is ejected by the action of winding 61 on armature 48. When the ball is ejected, finger 32 is freed and opens contacts 33 and .34 thus opening the circuit for relay winding 84. The timing is such that the ball is ejected at the time when contact 69 falls in drop Fl of cam 18. Thus, motor I6, after going through a cycle, is stopped and the system reverts to its-originalcondition.

It is understood that contacts 98 and 99 on the one hand or contacts I8I and I02 on the other hand may go to suitable score-indicating means for indicating scoring values, depending upon the position of the pocket in the cam. Thus, the shaft of motor 16 may have any number of units of three cams 62, I8 and 80 thereon.

A complete scoring system, as disclosed in my Patent 2,165,059 may be used in connection with the invention.

In addition to the magnetically responsive switches and the various ball pockets on playing panel I5, additional switching means may be provided to be controlled by a ball in the starting position.

Thus, referring to Figures 1, ,5 .and 6, ball 20 is shown in the starting position at runway'22. Below the runway is amagnetically responsive switch generally indicated by numeral I05, the switch being otherwise similar to the magnetically responsive switch associated with ball pocket 38. Thus, switch I includes magnet I88 and arm i8? carrying a movable contact. This arm may move the contact between fixed contacts as shown, or may cooperate with contact His only for altering the scoring action in case ball 26 is ferromagnetic. It is preferred to have the panel material extend between the magnet and ball so that no physical contact between the magnet and ball is possible. While the magnet may have some slight retarding effect on a ferromagnetic ball, this may be generally disregarded or may even be compensated for by the operator in case the ball indicates that it is ferromagnetic. Thus, the ferromagnetic balls may be finished in a special color. It is understood, of course, that the movable and fixed contacts of the switch are suitably connected in to alter the scoring. A game provided with a mag netically responsive runway switch may additionally have magnetically responsive switches disposed at one or more playing positions on the panel as distinguished from the playing position at the start of the runway.

It is understood, of course, that various modifications of the magnetically responsive scoring system may be made. Thus, the pockets may be eliminated and the magnetically responsive switch be disposed below the panel to be afiected by a passing-ball. It may be necessary to countor-sink the bottom of the panel to permit the magnet to approach close enough to a ball so that proper response will result.

The balls may all be made the same weight and may have the same appearance so that a player need not necessarily know which ball or balls are magnetic.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pin ball game, an electrically-actuated scoring system, said system including scoring means, electro-magnetic actuating means controlled by said scoring means for producing scoring effects upon said system, said scoring means including circuits having mass-responsive switches and magnetic-responsive switches connected therein, said game having a playing panel provided with scoring regions, some scoring ref gions each having a mass-responsive switch and other scoring regions each having a magneticresponsive switch, playing balls including at least one ferromagnetic ball and at least one nonmagnetic ball, the balls being adapted to range over the playing panel during play, whereby a ferromagnetic ball and a non-magnetic ball, pursuing the same path over the panel, will operate different switches in said scoring regions and result in difierent playing scores.

2. In a pin ball game, an electrically-actuated scoring system, said system including two scor- 6 ing means, electro-magnetic actuating means controlled by said scoring means for producing two different scoring effects upon said system, said scoring means including circuits having mass-responsive switches and magneticresponsive switches connected therein, said game having a playing panel provided with a plurality of scoring regions, each scoring region having a i scoring switch, certain switches being mass-re sponsive and other switches being magnetic-repursuing the same path over the panel, will operate different switches and result in different playing scores and whereby a ball operating both switches for any particular scoring region thus equipped will result in a different score than if only the mass-responsive switch were operated.

3. The game according to claim 1, wherein said game has a runway along which balls are initially propelled to put them on the playing panel, a magnetic-responsive switch disposed beneath the runway surface, connections between said magnetic-responsive switch and said electro-magnetic actuating means whereby a ferromagnetic ball at the very beginning of a;

game will register a different score than a nonmagnetic ball.

4. The game according to claim 1, wherein at least one scoring region has a recess into which a ball may fall and wherein means are provided in said recess responsive to the presence of said ball for ejecting the ball from said recess so that the ball may continue on the playing panel.

JERRY C. KOCI.

CES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,192,596 Durant Mar. 5, 1940 2,285,2 14: J. R. Williams June 2, 1942 2,317,506 H. E. Williams Apr. 27, 1943 

